


Winter Holidays

by 8ami



Series: Garrett & Cal [17]
Category: Love Simon (2018), Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda - Becky Albertalli, Simonverse | Creekwood Series - Becky Albertalli
Genre: Boys Kissing, Cal's pov, Canon Bisexual Character, Cute, Fluff, Garrett's POV, I gave Brianna and Taylor boyfriends, M/M, Mistletoe, POV First Person, Pansexual Character, Pansexual!Garrett, Will Add to Randomly, Will Update Tags as I Do
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-23
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-08-27 22:22:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16711144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/8ami/pseuds/8ami
Summary: A series of one-shots surrounding Cal and Garrett that take place during the winter holidays. Think December.Feel free to leave prompts in the comments. I'm down for all the cliches and troupes.





	1. Thursday, December 7th through Friday, December 8th

**Author's Note:**

> Shout out to my beta for this series - nymphstreet.  
> They didn't beta this one-shot as obvious by my many mistakes, but she's still totally awesome.
> 
> Minor Edits 2/1/2019

 I hear Cal speaking. The quiet, warm molasse tone of his voice slipping into my senses, the meaning of the words lost to the simple sounds of them. Sometimes, I ask Cal questions just so that I can listen to the sound of his voice letting it sink into my bones drawing out the tension I always seem to be holding on to nowadays. Even now with only a simple sentence, I can feel the tension slink out of my system leaving me feeling relaxed on the bed in Cal’s room.

His comforter smells like him - like warm vanilla and melted sugar over something just clean and soft like cashmere - and with my eyes closed I can really take in the scent that I’ve grown more than a little attached to. Cal stole one of my hoodies a while back, and when I finally got it back it smelled like him. It was comforting, and I spent the next week falling asleep holding it to my face until the smell finally faded leaving me feeling like I lost something. Not that I would admit any of that to anyone. Probably not even to Cal. Maybe to Cal.

I want Cal to join me on his bed. Not even to make out, just so that I can hold onto him and hold him close, to breathe him in, letting the comforter on his bed wrap us even closer together. Cal had told me when I asked to come over that he had to finish with this write-up thing he's working on, so really I knew I wasn’t going to get his attention right away. I still want him to come over regardless. However, just being in the same room as him is a hundred percent better than being at home right now so I don't mind the distance too much.

When his dad had first let me in and showed me up to Cal’s room despite me knowing where it was, I had thought about trying to distract Cal from his work, but Cal’s dad stayed in the doorway making poor small talk with me for a little too long for me to not feel anything but awkward about being in his son’s room unsupervised causing me to drop that idea even now that we’ve been alone for a good half hour.

“Garrett?” Cal prompts and it’s only then that I realize that he had, in fact, asked me a question with those words I hadn’t really heard.

I turn my head to look over at him. His pretty blue eyes are still trained on the spiral he’s writing in; every now and then he’ll look up to his computer to make sure he’s writing down whatever it is he’s writing correctly. The light from the computer highlights the hard lines of his face and it makes me want to take a picture. I'm deciding on if I should get my phone out or actually ask him to come over to me, when I remember he’s waiting on an answer from me.

I don’t remember what the question was, I’m not even sure I even registered the words, but it’s Cal, so really it doesn’t matter to me what he’s asking - I’ll do it. “Oh, yeah. Yeah, I’m down, babe.” I don’t know when I started using nicknames with Cal, but every time I do the corner of his lips twitch up like he’s about to smile but stops himself leaving behind something light in his eyes.

“Thanks. It won’t be a lot of work, I promise.” He assures me, and I still can’t remember what he’s asked, but he’s turned in his chair to look at me now, so I still find that I don’t care.

I do not miss that his eyes go down and up my form immediately, raking in the sight and I smile, boasting at the swell of pride that overtakes me and I most certainly stretch just then to show off lean muscle. He’s so sexy when he bites his lip, his eyes dipping down to the stretch of skin that's now exposed above my jeans. My fingers itch to touch him. “Do I get anything for helping?” I ask smirking, raising on eyebrow causing Cal to roll his eyes at me, but he puts his pencil down so I’m going to call it a win.

He gets up to come over to the bed, falling forward so that he ends up on his elbows not quite sideways from me. His fingers dip down to my chest as he lifts his chin a little to look at me. I brush my fingers through his hair, but it puts my wrist at an awkward angle, and I end up letting my hand fall, resting on his lower back. “Satisfaction that you helped your boyfriend out,” Cal suggests.

I consider it dramatically, humming and getting a smile out of Cal. “But, babe, you said work.” There’s that not smile again - which is a trick in an of itself because he’s already smiling at me - as he huffs playfully at me.

He doesn’t reply to my whining, just rocks himself forward so that his hands are flat against my chest in order to kiss me. We’re at a weird angle so he ends up kissing only partly on my lips and cheek, which I do not think is enough thank you so I roll up to my side more in order to use the hand that’s not on his back to pull him back into a proper ‘thank you for helping, your a wonderful boyfriend’ kiss.

Cal laughs softly against my lips when we pull back, eyes still half close matching mine, as we just smile at each other. I get a little lost in looking over his face. The computer had made his face look sharp, but mostly he just looks soft - not physically, but - oh, I don’t really know what I mean, all I know is that when I look at him I feel like life isn’t so hard. It’s soft and wonderful and okay in all the ways that life actually isn't.

I trail my hand from the back of his head to along his cheek, barely there, ghosting along skin that I’m starting to know better than my own. Cal’s lips part just slightly as he takes and releases a deep breath as if I suddenly told him everything in my head and heart regarding him despite not speaking myself. I kinda hope that's true. I want him to know those things and I can't always find the words to do so. 

“You should definitely kiss me again,” I tell him the words quiet so that it doesn’t break the bubble we’re in. His blue-green eyes drop down from my eyes to my lips and back up before he nods leaning in again.

This kiss is so much simpler than our previous one, but somehow I still feel like my chest is way too small for my heart and to be honest, it’s getting a little overwhelming in all the ways that say I need this with him for the rest of my life. So I deepen the kiss in order to not face that feeling, wash it away with my current need of him. I let the hand on his back, rack up his shirt to put skin at my fingertips getting a hum from him as he pushes further into me. Lips part at the same time and tongues meeting each other in sync twisting my stomach in a good way.

“Hello, boys.”

I jerk my head backward away from him, hitting the bed glad it's something soft, as my hands leave Cal like I was just burned. He blinks at the sudden loss of contact until he can refocus and then laughs at me, the traitor, before rolling over and sitting up to address his mom who's now standing in the doorway of his room. I do not move, staring at the ceiling until my cheeks stop being so red. I’m not a fan of being caught by parents when I’m making out with their kid, okay. 

“Mom?” Cal prompts.

“I was wondering if Garrett wanted to stay for dinner?” She asks and it’s only then that I realize how late it’s gotten, how much time I wasted just laying in the same room as Cal. I pull out my phone as Cal looks over his shoulder at me. I don’t have any messages from my parents, and as much as I want to stay with Cal, I shake my head.

“No, ma’am. I should probably head home soon.” I make myself look at her when I speak, deciding that I would earn more points like that. I sit up and move to the edge of the bed for the same reason. I’d probably get off the bed completely if Cal didn’t put his hand over mine just then.

Cal’s mom nods, smiles at us both like she’s part of some joke, has some silent conversation with her son that I don't want to understand, before leaving the doorway to go to what I assume is back down to the kitchen. I let a short breath go and turn my head to look at Cal.

He’s all smiles and amusement, “one of these days you aren’t going to jump away from me when my parents come into the room.” He teases.

“I don’t see that happening.” I laugh a little rough as I look around for my shoes. I had kicked them off when I fell onto Cal’s bed when I first arrived. I find them haphazardly in the middle of the floor and I sit down on the floor to pull them back on.

Cal watches me for some time, before coming to kneel beside me. He waits until I give him my full attention, “do you really have to go?”

I want to say no, that I’ll stay, but I don’t instead I give him a small apologetic smile and a quick kiss. “Yeah, afraid so. I skipped out on dinner with my folks twice this week already. I can’t do it again.” I want to do it again. And he knows it. He also knows that if he asks me to stay again I'll change my answer. Cal doesn't ask again. He just nods his understanding, gives me another kiss and then another on my cheek, before letting me finish getting my shoes on. He walks me to his door and tells me he’ll text me tonight and that I’ll see him tomorrow which has me pause for a second before I remember I promised to help him with something.

 

* * *

 

'Something' turns out to be helping put up winter decorations for the Christmas play the younger kids are putting on his weekend in one of the two smaller stages in the community theater that’s on either side of the main room with the larger stage.

It’s not a lot of work and I’m pretty sure Cal asked me to help just to spend time with me, to give me a reason to be out of my house which I appreciate enough to catch him in kisses anytime I can. I enjoyed putting out the fake trees in a pattern that Cal says is best. When he set me to work on dusting the synthetic leaves with fake snow, I only get a few handfuls of the white powder on Cal. Mostly, though, I’m up on a ladder, hanging snowflakes that I’m pretty sure the kids themselves made if the silly and unique colors and cut are anything to go by.

“Is this good?” I ask not for the first time with only a handful of snowflakes left to put up. When Cal doesn’t answer right away I look back over my shoulder to see if something else has his attention. No, I still have his attention, he’s just totally checking me out instead of listening to me. I can’t help but laugh, the sound startles him causing his vision to jump up to my eyes. Embarrassment colors his cheek and neck and looks so wonderful on him. I’m a nice boyfriend, though, so I just repeat my question knocking my head to the snowflake.

“Oh, yes. That looks fine.” He manages. I’m grinning when I turn back to tack up the snowflake.

Climbing down, I move the ladder to where he wants the next one hung and back up I go with paper and tack in hand. Again, I ask if the placement is good and this time he answers quickly as if to make up for his previous slip. I repeat the process at a third location, but this time he doesn’t respond again. I can’t ignore it the second time. I mean I could, but I’m not that _good_ of a boyfriend.

I jump from the ladder to the ground causing his eyes to go wide in concern before recognizing that I did not fall from the ladder and that I’m okay. I let the snowflake slip through my fingers as I move to stand right in front of him, shoes pressing against each other.

Cal thins his lips, a half smile pulling at his lips as he looks down to not match my gaze. I brush at some of the fake snow that's still on his shoulders, before settling my hands on his waist. “Cal?” He hums acknowledgment but doesn’t look up, “you wouldn’t have asked me to help because it lets you check out my ass, right?”

A fleeting glance up to my face and then he takes a breath, straightening his back as he rests his arms on my shoulders finally catching my eyes straight on now. There’s still blush to his cheeks and I kiss the color. “Absolutely not. I asked for your help because you’re taller than me, and therefore, you have an easier time hanging things from the ceiling.” I screw up my face with doubt. He sighs, rolling his eyes as he insists. “Really that’s true. I keep you around for your height, not your good looks”

“Oh yeah? Is that so?” I prompt pulling his hips in towards me. He tries not to smile, trying for serious when he nods.

“Absolutely." Cal rests his hands on my chest, smoothing out the wrinkles that don't exist on my shirt, "I’m just... taking advantage of the situation.”

I can’t help but laugh a little, all joy and bright. “Can’t let the chance go to waste?” I ask leaning to brush my lips against his. I kiss the 'yes' on his lips.

Cal starts to pull away, but I bite his bottom lip and he surges back in claiming my lips as his. It's warm in the building despite the cold outside, but it's warmer in his hands and it has so much potential to turn hot. His hands slide up my chest, around my neck and into my hair pulling me further down into him and I swear I forget about anything but him. I pull him impossibly closer to me while moving one of my hands to cup his ass. I lose more of my control when he swipes his tongue over my teeth, dipping deeper into my mouth causing me to me knead at his ass. 

When Cal pulls away this time I let him go with a groan. "Remember how I said I keep you around for your height, not your good looks?" I nod a little light headed still from kissing him. "Well, I wasn't lying. You still have three snowflakes to put up."

I blink at him slowly, before the words register and then I'm laughing squeezing him tight in a hug. I let him go completely, stepping back my jeans a little tighter than when I stepped up to him. "I'll remember this," I warn without losing my smile. I step towards the ladder, stopping only to pick up the snowflake I had dropped previously. "You better take advantage of the view while you can." I look over my shoulder before I step up the ladder confirms he’s already watching me intently, a little hungrily and totally not appropriate considering we’re setting the stage for a kid’s show. That kiss hadn't been all that appropriate either though.

Still, I waggle my eyebrow at him when I catch his eyes. The hunger he's wearing on his face turns a little sweeter. “I will.” He promises.


	2. Tuesday, December 19th

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ethan throws a Christmas party for his friends and Garrett goes with Cal to it.  
> Thus cuteness while they play the white elephant game.  
> Also mistletoe!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since these are supposed to be quick for me to write and put up, they won't be beta'd and will most likely have mistakes tho I am trying to be more careful since I'm not running these past nymphstreet. So fair warning, lol.
> 
>  
> 
> Lastly, Enjoy!

Apparently, Christmas is Ethan’s holiday and he throws a holiday party each year for his friends, which is why I’m currently at his house wearing an ‘ugly sweater’ that Brianna and Sasha made. They made one for everyone, however, if I had a guess I’d say Taylor had major input on her sweater while Claire had given them free rein. I had no say at all as I wasn’t even aware I was getting one until Brianna and Sasha stopped by my house to drop it off.

My dad had gotten to the door before me and called me back as I started to walk away when they apparently asked for me. I had been so thrown at seeing the girls at my front door and so immediately worried that Cal was with them, that I totally didn’t understand what they were putting into my hands and almost totally missed the look my dad gave me at finding two very pretty girls on the porch asking for me.

I had texted Cal after the girls had left me very confused and my skin itching over my dad’s look. Cal hadn’t been aware the girls were dropping by, had apologized, and then told me about Ethan’s party. He asked if I wanted to go in the middle of also telling me I didn’t have to come to the party and while he wanted me to come and had even planned to ask me, I really didn’t have to come. Except with way less words and more sighs.

I told him I already had an outfit and asked him when the party was. Which was the right answer as I got a lot of kisses for that when I saw Cal next, even though I really did just want to hang out with him and his friends - they’re a fun group of people and I’m almost convinced Taylor actually likes me now.

Speaking - thinking? - of Cal, I look around the room trying to find him. Claire and Sasha are talking near the table Ethan’s set up with all sort of cookies and snacks. Ethan is talking to Taylor around the stacks of presents people brought for the white elephant game Ethan has planned. Brianna and her boyfriend are talking to Benji on the couch. I’m actually surprised to see Benji here as last I heard him and Taylor were currently ‘off’ but Cal’s told me before that they bounce back and forth often enough that he doesn’t really even considering them actually ‘off’. But I don’t see Cal.

Mainly, because he’s apparently standing next to me now. I jump when I do notice him, immediately falling into a glare as a smile finds his lips. “Why do you always sneak up on me - especially at parties?” Not at all stern enough to be serious. It doesn’t help that Cal’s ugly sweater isn’t at all ugly on him and I end up trailing off on my words to look him up and down.

The sweater was completely blue pulling at the color in his eyes to make them stand out before the girls bleached the sleeves creating streams down Cal’s arms. Silver bells on string lace his cuffs so that every time he moves his hands soft chimes follow the movements. There are strings of silver also zig-zagged across his torso with an obnoxious number of painted on silver, white, and glittering snowflakes. The sweater is just a size too big, but his jeans are tight causing the hem of the sweater to catch at his belt puffing out making him look cozy and warm and comfortable, someone to just sink into.

“I’m not trying to,” he tells me with a giddy smile from being inside around his friends and a bit of color to his cheeks, “maybe you just need to pay more attention to me.”

Stepping into his space, my hands find his waist with practiced ease, the sweater warm under my palms creating a soft barrier between Cal’s skin and mine. Smiling down at him, “I can do that.” I try to drop my voice a bit, to hint at what I most definitely want to do with him later, but my attempt is thwarted when Cal startles me by bringing up two cups of eggnogs in between our faces.

Cal chuckles at me over the rim of the cups, “here, smooth guy.” I shake my head of the surprise to match his laughter and take one of the cups. “They aren’t spiked,” he adds when I raise my eyebrow in teasing question before taking a sip.

“Darn.” Cal rolls his eyes as he takes his own drink. It a joke on my part, but there’s enough truth to it that neither of us laugh at it. Cal had asked me to pull back on drinking after I had fucked up and ended up driving a little past tipsy. That had not been a fun conversation, but Cal was right to call me on it and I _eventually_ did agree. Sort of, anyways - logical and emotion doesn’t always mix well. I lean over to kiss his cheek, before taking a drink of my own cup preventing the tension that could have settled on us due to the topic.

“Alright, alright, everyone it’s time to play,” Ethan calls out waving everyone to the couches for white elephant. I’m not playing as I haven’t brought a present as I plan on spending my cash on a present for Cal - the fact that I haven’t figured out what to get him yet is a minor detail - which is what I told Ethan before showing up today. He had gushed about understanding and that being ‘so cute’ relieving me of being part of the game.

I had just nodded my thanks as it’s a hell of a lot less cute considering the reason I don’t have any money to spend on presents this year is due to my parents ‘suddenly’ deciding not to help me with that this year. It kinda feels ungrateful to complain about it, which is probably why I haven’t said anything about it to anyone really. It’s just that… well, it’s not like with Leah’s mom who doesn’t always have the ability to help Leah out. My parents have the resources to help, have done the exact thing in the past, and the only lesson they’re trying to teach me right now is to be more straight.

I pull Cal into my lap, arms around his waist and my head on his shoulder as I breathe in his scent, letting it rush away the agitation thinking about my parents had started to cause to bubble up inside me. Cal leans back into my hold, and I sink under his weight, warmth bleeding into my fingers at his waist and slowly spreading up along my arms, towards my chest with no stopping in sight.

I don’t know if ironic is the right word or not, but I’ve always been amazed at how Cal can make me feel safe like I’m the one being protected when it’s my arms around him, when he’s the one wrapped up. It’s the type of awe that occurs when someone sees something small - the reason for the arrow next to a gas gauge on a car, a double rainbow, the northern lights being reflected, the name of the plastic bit of shoelaces - but causes them to rework their the world.

I’m still burying my face into Cal’s sweater when the game starts up with Ethan having everyone pulling a number out of a hat for the order in which people would pick presents. I only look up when Cal shifts enough for me to understand that he wants me to do so. I take note of the number scrawled on Cal’s piece of paper and then catch his eyes before kissing his cheek quickly and with barely anything to it other than reassurance and connection.

Benji gets to go first and with a flourish that I completely expect from someone dating Taylor picks and opens a present that was certainly overwrapped with perfect folds, ribbon, and even a bow. It turns out to be gift set of twelve different hot chocolate mixes which is cool, but I’m almost disappointed it’s not more given the wrapping.

Brianna goes next opting to open another gift.

“What is… oh, it’s bubble wrap?” She asks perplexion unfolding on her face over the item. Her boyfriend leans over to help examine it, his fingers go across the top lightly as he reads over the writing there.

“Bri, babe, it’s a calendar. Like you pop a bubble for each day.” He’s all smiles and amusement. Brianna, Sasha, and Ethan all laugh as Claire says something about stress relief that gets lost in the giggles.

Taylor is up next and she takes the hot chocolate mixes straight out of her boyfriend’s hands earning her a small squawk of protest from him. She waves away the sound, sending him off to pick and open up a new present. Cal leans back into me, “I could have told you Taylor was going to take that.”

“She likes hot chocolate?” I asked losing sight of the game using the question as an excuse to look at his profile as he nods.

“She probably bought that gift herself to make sure there was something here she wanted.” I laugh louder than I mean to at that and end up pressing my face into the crook of his neck to quiet the rest of my laughter.

Really, I just can’t help but brush my lips along the back of Cal’s neck when I do move to look back up to the group. A shiver runs up his spine with a single short breath darting away, doing great things for my ego. I kiss his hair above his ear with a smile.

It’s apparently Sasha’s turn when I focus back on the game and she gets up and takes the set of journals that Benji opened as his second gift prompting him to ask if everyone is just going to take his things.

“I should get an award for opening the most presents.” He suggests, not completing playing as he opens up a set of novelty socks which are pretty cute, but who actually wears novelty socks? Benji seems to like them, though so maybe he does. He shows off one pair that has polar bears in Santa hats on them.

The second pair he reads before chuckling as he hands them to Claire saying she should really have them. Claire laughs the moment she reads them and then holds them up. The pair says ‘lets get baked’ around the ankle with little gingerbread men covering the feet.

“I should keep these. They’re so great!” She laughs before Ethan rolls his eyes and tries to get her to give them back to Benji which only ends up with Claire holding them out of reach until Ethan tickles her sides and she gives in laughing with tiny tears in the corner of her eyes.

Benji shows Taylor the last pair of socks when Ethan throws the pair Claire stole into Benji’s lap. Benji says something I can’t hear, but Taylor’s eyes widen in shock and her lips thin, though they also twitch up at the corners as if she wants to smile but is stopping herself.

“Shut up!” She orders swatting at Benji’s arm. Snatching one of the socks as Benji laughs and plays up how much she hurt him, Taylor leans forward to show the rest of us a sock that says, ‘Ho Ho’ in large print around the ankle. I’m confused right up until I make out the smaller text right above that which says, ‘Santa's favorite’.

“Do you see how he thinks of me?” She grates, causing the ones that have known Taylor long enough to laugh. I smile, but don’t laugh not completely sure it’s okay for me to do, more amazed at how brave - is it brave or foolishness? - Benji is for even suggesting such a thing to Taylor. I’m pretty sure I’d get hit for even thinking something like that.

“Really children, enough of the socks.” Ethan’s voice is all fond and dramatic as he huffs the words out. He turns away from Benji and Taylor as they begin to whisper aggressively and with smiles. Cal’s right, their relationship is weird.

“Cal it’s your turn,” Ethan instructs catching my attention.

I squeeze Cal’s waist a little, enough to get him to turn his head slightly towards me, “you should definitely open a new present. I don’t like any of these.”

Cal arches an eyebrow me, fighting the urge to roll his eyes at me I can tell. “You don’t like any of these? The gift is supposed to be for me.” He reminds me.

I scrunch up my face in doubt, “that doesn’t sound right, are you sure about that?”

“Yeah, Garrett. I brought a gift, so I get one back.”

“Yeah, Cal,” I mimic, “you get one back that you then give to me.”

He actually does roll his eyes at me this time, before turning away from me. He pushes at my arms until I let him go so that he can pick a present off the coffee table, however, he can’t be that upset as he does come back to sit in my lap and I’m able to put my arms back around him.

It’s easy to sit like this with him, to be affectionate in this manner when it’s our friends that are around us. Sometimes, it’s still hard for me to be relaxed like this, but it’s also hard for me not to find some sort of ease when I’m around Cal.

He’s just sweet and soft with all this understanding wrapped up inside him, bubbling and spilling over into nurturing touches and calming looks. I feel like I want to be better for him, that he deserves to be given back just as much joy and peace he gives out. And he’s so clever and funny with jokes that sounds like statements and eye rolls and all these facts about movies and plays that he shares with shy smiles.

Cal starts to pull at the wrapping when Claire speaks up, “shouldn’t you give that to Garrett to unwrap?”

“Yes, he should.” I immediately agree with Claire looking pointedly at Cal hoping I look less like a lovesick puppy than I feel. Claire laughs as Cal just stares at her with a put-upon glare and I take the opportunity of Cal being distracted to finish unwrapping the gift.

Cal’s hands find mine drawing my gaze up to him as he says, “Just so we’re clear, this is mine.” He smiles lightly and glowing, leaving me completely in a daze and him able to take off the lid of the present himself; Cal reveals a small branch of some kind of plant?

Cal’s picking it up out of the bed of tissue paper when I tell him he can, in fact, keep that earning me another eye roll, but Cal hasn’t stopped smiling and his eyes are really bright when he holds the sprig above my head. I’ve confused until he kisses me softly on the lips which leaves me _very_ confused but happy.

“It’s mistletoe, Garrett,” Cal explains.

“Oh!” That makes so much more sense than just some random plant. I can hear the others laughing, but I pay them no mind as I push Cal’s arm so that he’s now holding the mistletoe over his head. As our lips touch for what seems like the first and millionth time, my hand slides down his arm until I’m holding his face along his jaw and I can pull him a little closer to me to deepen the kiss without using our tongues and teeth.

I really want to deepen it like that, but we are in the middle of his friends, so we fall away from the kiss instead of into it. Cal’s cheeks are a lovely shade of pink as he ducks behind his bangs from his friends’ silly glances and smiles laying the mistletoe back to its box. I run my fingers through his bangs smiling before letting my arm drop to back around his waist.

Cal jumps, head popping up when Brianna’s boyfriend- I really need to remember his name, dammit - leans over to take the box of mistletoe from Cal’s lap. “Sorry, Cal, but I’m taking this.” He doesn’t sound sorry at all! And I most definitely don’t pout. Posting my chin onto Cal’s shoulder with a huff  - which is not pouting - as mistletoe is held above Brianna’s head.

Cal reaches up with his hand running his fingers through my hair, scratching at my scalp. “It’s okay, Garrett. I’ll kiss you even without mistletoe.” He promises, piquing my interest.

I hug him a little tighter, lean a little closer even if it means I have to lift my head, “what kind of kisses are we talking about here?” I most definitely raise my eyebrow suggestively. Cal rolls his eyes so hard, it actually causes him to lean back.

“I’m picking another present,” Cal tells me instead of answering my question which really isn’t very nice of him.

This time Cal lets me help open it, without fighting which I guess makes up for the lack of answer about getting more kisses from him. The present is book set that’s titled, ‘OMG Shakespeare Boxed Set’ which leaves Cal actually groaning.

“Who got this tragedy?” He asks displeased as I take the box to read the titles, ‘YOLO Juliet’ ‘srsly Hamlet’ and ‘Macbeth #killing it’ leaving me almost as confused as the mistletoe did when it was first revealed. Cal is arguing with his friends unamused and Ethan is laughing too much for it not to be his gift when I figure out that it’s Shakespeare works written in emoji and text talk by reading the tags on the back of the box.

“Hey, I might understand what's happening finally in those things.” I chime in putting the books down into Cal’s lap which causes Claire and Brianna to join in laughing as Benji’s eyes go wide, shaking his head and Taylor says something like ‘of course’.

I don’t really notice these things though as Cal turns his head sharply to look at me, “those things? Really, Garret? Plays - they’re called plays and - ” I cut Cal’s huff off, cringing by putting my hand over his mouth.

“I’m sorry. Plays. I might finally understand those _plays_.” Keeping my hand on his mouth as he glares at me, I lean back to catch Brianna and her boyfriend’s looks. “Give me back the mistletoe - I got kisses with the plant, with these books I’m just getting yelled at.”

Brianna and her boyfriend are not helpful as they laugh around telling me no. Brianna tells me I’m on my own. I frown, looking everywhere but back at Cal for a minute. I’m surprised he hasn’t pushed my hand off, really.

When I finally catch his gaze again, there’s a crinkle around his eyes that says he’s trying not to smile, which I’m have convinced is him trying to lure me into a false sense of security. I remove my hand anyways and he moves so that he’s sitting almost sideways in my lap able to rest his arms on my shoulders now while facing me more.

The game continues around us.

“What am I going to do with you?” He asks all light and teasing all the way to his eyes.

I grin trying to be a little more smooth, tugging him just a little closer, “I can think of a few things.”

“Only a few?” Cal challenges all sweet like he isn’t suggesting something sinful which makes his words all that sexier, and I might whine at that, having to hide my face and the sound in the crook of his neck. Cal chuckles, I can feel it through his sweater, making the sound warmer to hear.

I look up when I feel his fingers start to trail down my temples making it easier for him to reach more. His touch is gentle but it leaves my skin on fire. He’s just so pretty.

“If I end up with these, I’m going to make you read them.” Cal motions down to the books in his lap.

“Wha- what?” I startle, taking a moment to register what’s happening, having been enjoying just having his attention, “noo....” It’s a soft plea, with only partly fake anguish, a little too slow in reaction. I blink a few times to truly catch the moment and then ask, “can’t we just watch the movies - there’s all sort of movies based on this stuff.”

Cal shakes his head making me frown only with my lips. He does soften the blow by leaning more into my space, rubbing my nose with his in an Eskimo kiss, “we can read them together.” He promises and I’m a little less doubtful about this prospect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3 <3 <3
> 
> The book mentioned in this - OMG Shakespeare - is a real series along with OMG Classics. However, I have not read either of them, just seen them in passing and looked them up again on Amazon. 
> 
> Also, I've been super sick the past few weeks which is why I haven't gotten anything else up lately, but I'm finally starting to feel better so hopefully I can get some more writing done.


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